Update: The U.S. Navy says they have no evidence that the sailor mentioned in this story exists or that anyone like her was in Dubai when the attack would have happened. The attack may have indeed took place, but there appears to be no evidence the woman involved was service-member. We regret publishing those details of story in error.

Original Post: A potential rapist in Dubai learned the hard way why you shouldn't mess with the U.S. Navy after an attack on an off-duty sailor went horribly wrong... for him. The 28-year-old sailor appeared in a Dubai court this week to testify about the incident that happened back in January. After a shore leave shopping trip, she boarded a bus to get back to her post. According to testimony, the driver took a suspicious route, eventually pulling into secluded parking lot where he then began to attack her.

The sailor says he tore her clothes and began to molest her and bite her body. When she fought back, he pulled a knife and told her to do what he said. That was his big mistake. She testified that when he tried to grab her again, "I saw my chance":

The woman, an off-duty US navy sailor, knocked the knife from his grasp, broke it in two, bit his hand, wrestled him to the ground and put him in a stranglehold between her thighs.

"Having beaten him into submission" she left the bus and alerted authorities. The driver, who is from Pakistan, was arrested the next day. He's been charged with attempted rape, threatening to kill, assault and consuming alcohol illegally. The trial resumes next week.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.

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